ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK – JANUARY 22: Josh Allen #17 of the Buffalo Bills kneels on the field after a play against the Cincinnati Bengals during the fourth quarter in the AFC Divisional Playoff game at Highmark Stadium on January 22, 2023 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Bryan M. Bennett/Getty Images)
The Buffalo Bills lost in the AFC Divisional Round to the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday afternoon, thus ending their season. But what’s next?
A tough offseason looms in Buffalo after the Bills fell short once again with Josh Allen at the helm. It’s tough to blame Allen for that, of course, but this is a team that ought to have Super Bowl aspirations on a yearly basis. Not reaching that goal is more of the same old Bills mentality that Sean McDermott and Brandon Beane are trying to break.
Some of Buffalo’s key free agents this winter include safety Jordan Poyer, linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, guard Rodger Saffold, running back Devin Singletary, punter Sam Martin, defensive tackle Jordan Phillips, defensive end Shaq Lawson, offensive lineman David Quessenberry, offensive lineman Greg Van Roten and linebacker A.J. Klein.
Based on that list, some positions will matter more than most. Where should the Bills start?
Buffalo Bills rumors: Sign Odell Beckham Jr.
Odell Beckham Jr.’s health may be in question, but he should be good to go by next season. OBJ will be one of the more proven players on the wide receiver market this offseason, and it’ll cost a team like Buffalo.
The good news is that OBJ can be had on a short-term contract. At 30 years old, Beckham Jr. cannot expect a deal of more than three years, tops, and that would be generous by NFL standards given his injury history.
While Stefon Diggs is entrenched as Allen’s go-to target, the receiving corps beyond that is relatively barren. Gabe Davis is hot and cold, and Buffalo needs more from at what’s supposed to be a position of depth.
By next season, the Bills could have Diggs and Beckham Jr. has two tentpoles, and then Davis in the slot. Give Allen the weapons necessary to make a deep playoff run, or face a similar fate to the past two postseasons. That’s the choice the Bills must make.
